


The Mercer Family

by Crazelou



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29110164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazelou/pseuds/Crazelou
Summary: Alice Mercer had always been curious about who my real father was. Her Mom, Nan and Grandad had always basically refused to talk about him, the same thing always coming out of their mouth every time, that he left her mom before she was born, that he didn’t want her.Alice always felt alone really, despite her outgoing, bubbly personality to everyone on the outside, she tended to over think things, apparently like her dead uncle used to. No one really spoke about him in her family, something about him betraying god by coming out gay. It didn’t help that she had been held back a year in school due to her mom putting work before her education from a young age.It wasn’t until a year ago that her mom basically neglected her to live with her grandparents, her mom saying it was for her own good, that she needed to get her grades up. In fact, she had only seen her mom twice since she had left her on the doorstep of their house. At least she always had Carrie, someone who she really cared about.The thought of her father being dead never existed before she met three ghosts that her friend Julie made a band with.
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina, Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer/Julie Molina, Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn/Carrie Wilson, Julie Molina & Reggie Peters, Julie Molina/Carrie Wilson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson/Reggie Peters, Reggie Peters/Carrie Wilson
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	1. chapter one

Alice laid in her single bed starring at the ceiling taking a moment to herself before her hectic day started. Today was the day of her school’s pep rally, where her best friend Carrie was performing. 

“Alice! You better be up otherwise you are going to be late!” she hears her Grandma Nancy yell from the kitchen. 

“I’ll be down in a sec!” Alice shouts back before throwing on a pair of basic black ripped skinny jeans, a plain white tee, tying her favourite flannel shirt around her hips before running down the stairs.

“How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t doing any favours with wearing that sort of clothes Alice!” Her Grandma snapped at her as soon as Alice walked into the room. “People will start thinking bad things about you if you carry on!” 

“How many more times do I have to say I don’t care what other people think of me!” I snap back at her. 

“Don’t talk to your Grandmother like that young lady!” Alice’s Grandpa John tells her from behind the newspaper that he holds in his hands. Although Alice can not see his face, she could tell that he was frowning. John picked up his coffee mug and took a sip. Alice rolls her eyes.

Alice walks over to the bowl of fruit that is on the table next to John, she picks up an orange that is on top of the rest of the fruit before glancing at the clock that is on the wall in the smallish kitchen. She picks up the leather jacket of the back of a chair closest to her before shrugging it over her shoulders.   
“Oh and don’t be too late back tonight as your mom is back tonight for a few days so we are going out as a family to the church!” Nancy warns Alice. 

“I’m at Carries tonight though as it’s...//.” Alice reminds her. 

“//...Well, you will have to give that a miss as you have to come!” Nancy tells her. “No excuses so you better be here for 5pm, I will have your dress laid on your bed for when you get home!” She warns. Alice sighs, 

“Yes Grandma.” Alice backs down straight away, this argument happens every time they make her go to church. Alice looks at the time on the clock on the wall behind Nancy. “I better go, Carrie s

“Oh, before you go, The school called this morning and asked for you to go to Principle Lessa’s office when you get in this morning” John tells her. “So make sure you do that!”

“Ok, thank you! Bye Grandma, Grandpa”. She walks out the door to see Carrie sitting in her convertible with Tori in the back seats. 

“About time girl!” Carrie tells her as soon as she sees Alice walking out of her front door. 

“Sorry, I had them on my back yet again.” Alice tells Carrie quietly just in case her grandparents were listening to their conversation before sliding into the front seat of the car. 

“They giving you a hard time again?” Carrie asks Alice concerned. 

“When aren’t they? Oh yeah apparently I have to cancel coming tonight as my mother is back in town.” Alice tells the two girls sadly. 

“That’s alright, we can do some other time, you don’t often get to see your mum.” Carrie tells Alice. Alice gives her a small smile. 

“It just annoys me how I have to drop everything just or her, it’s not my fault that she prefers being away from home most of the time.” Alice tells them.

“I understand that, but if I could spend time with my dad again, I would in a heartbeat.” Tori says from the backseat. You see, Tori's father left her mum for his new girlfriend when she was ten. Tori hasn’t seen or heard from him since, her mum took it hard at first but had always been there for her, she can’t imagine what life would be like if she didn’t have her mum in her life.   
\----  
The three girls arrive in the car park and Carrie parks her car in her normal spot. The three girls get out of the car. 

“Oh apparently I have to go to the head office before morning period so I’ll catch you later?” Alice tells the girls. 

“Any ideas why?” Tori asks curiously. 

“Maybe they are getting you to take Julie’s spot in the music program?” Carrie ethustaticly says. “I hope for god! It would be nice to have someone who is talented to take that weasel spot!” 

“Be nice Carrie! We all used to be best friends together!” Alice warns her, she sees Julie and Flynn walking into the school who waves at her, she gladly waves back. Carrie turns around and spots who she is waving at. She rolls her eyes. 

“I can’t believe your friends with them!” 

“Well I am, so get over it” Alice tells them before heading off towards the office. “I’ll see you at lunch yeah!” 

\----  
Alice walks into the reception area and goes over to the main desk. “Hey, I’ve been told to go see Principle Lessa this morning before class?” She lets the person behind the desk know. 

“Ah Alice Mercer yes?” The reception lady asks her. Alice tried to not laugh at the receptionist bold makeup choices.

“Yes it is!” 

“Go straight through to the left my dear.” The receptionist waves Alice on. 

Alice walks over to the dark wood door with the words “Principle Lessa” name tag on it and knocks it. She waits for a few seconds before she hears a voice behind the door telling her to go in. 

Alice goes over and sits on the chair opposite where Principle Lessa sits, making sure she closed the door behind her on the way in. 

“Good morning Miss Mercer.” Principle Lessa says before carrying on. “I am sure you heard about a spot opening up in the music program lately?” 

“I have… but i still don’t know why you called me here.” Alice asks. Principle Lessa smiles at her. 

“I want you to take that spot Alice, I don’t understand why you are not in that program anyway, you are one of the most talented people in this school!” She tells her. 

“I’m flattered, but I can’t accept, you know what my grandparents are like, if they found out, they would be angry.” Alice tells her. 

“I know, that’s why I contacted your mum and told her and we both agreed for you to join the program and not tell them.” Principle Lessa tells her. “It has all been sorted Alice, you will have a new timetable for your lessons from today.” She hands Alice a piece of paper. Alice remains quiet, taking the paper with her hands shaking. “Now you better get to your first lesson.” Principle Lessa tells her before Alice gets up and walks out. 

She stops outside the door glancing down at the paper in her hand that holds her new timetable. ‘What just happened’ she thought.


	2. Alice's first day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice first day in the music program and Julie performs with the phantoms for the first time

Alice heads towards her first class, still shocked on what went down in the Principal's office. She doesn’t know how to react to the news. She had always wanted to join the program, the only reason why she wasn’t in it in the first place was her grandparents telling her mom that they didn’t want her to be into music, it was banned in their house after all. 

Although she was nervous about what to expect, she couldn’t wait to see Carrie’s reaction for her being moved to the program. After a few minutes walking down the now quiet corridors of the school, Alice arrives outside the door of her lesson. First lesson was choir, she could hear Mrs Harrison's voice start to explain the lesson for today. 

Alice’s hand grips the door handle and opens the door. She walks into the classroom causing the focus of the room to be suddenly on her. She could see Carrie and Tori sitting at the front of the classroom on one side of the room and Flynn sat on the opposite side. 

“Ah, there you are Alice, guys, please welcome the newest member of the music program. I’m sure you all know her” Mrs Harrison announces to the class causing the class to erupt in speaking. “Go ahead and take a seat and we can get started!” 

The only seat that was available in the room was next to Flynn, clearly it was Julie's seat before they kicked her out of the program for not performing in over a year. Alice felt sorry for her but she could see the reason why the school did it, there are rules and guidelines that every single member of the program had to follow and if someone didn’t follow them, they were kicked out, Julie was given some lean way due to her mom's passing but it had become the time for someone to replace her. 

She takes the seat and looks towards Carrie, she smiles at her. She turned around to see Flynn frowning. 

“Look I understand that this is hard for you, especially because Julie is your best friend, but what else did you think would happen, the school can only give someone so many chances…” Carrie smirks at Flynn. 

“Carrie Wilson!” Mrs Harrison warns her, Carrie says nothing else but smirks at Flynn. Flynn just looks down. 

“Right…” Mrs Harrison starts explaining the lesson plan for today again. 

\---  
It’s lunchtime and Alice was looking forward to eating lunch, she knew that Carrie and Tori were going to ask about how she ended up in the music program. 

They sat at their usual table in the canteen talking. Alice sits down listening to Carrie go on about how it was fantastic that Julie had lost her place and she had taken it. Alice couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Carrie.  
“Look, I don’t know how it happened, I haven’t even auditioned in front of Mrs Harrison, let alone Principle Lessa!” Alice tells Carrie and Tori. 

“They probably heard you when you’ve been with us in the music room Al, I wouldn’t worry about it too much as you have always supposed to be in there,” Carrie points out to her. 

“I still can’t help but think that Flynn and Julie are going to be mad at me, cmon, I basically taken over Julie’s space!” 

“You are overthinking again, I don’t blame you, I was told that yesterday was my last chance to stay in the program” Julie pops up behind her before sitting on the chair beside her. Julie was sporting a beautiful camo all in one jumpsuit, buttoned halfway up with a white t shirt underneath. ‘She always has great taste in clothing, i wish i could pull something like that off’ Alice thought to herself. 

“Why are you sitting here? Got no where better to go?” Carrie snaps at Julie. Julie replies something but Alice doesn’t pay attention, she had focused on the mysterious figure that had appeared in the corner starring right at Julie, this person had blonde hair, a greyish shirt on top of a white tee and something around his chest. The mysterious person disappears after sometime. 

“Anyway, Tori and I better go get ready.” Carrie says before getting up. She then proceeds to shout “Dirty Candy is performing at the pep rally after lunch, hope to see you all there!” making sure everyone could hear her. 

When Carrie and Tori were out of earshot, Alice turned around to Julie. “I’m sorry about her, I know how much losing your mum meant to you”. 

“Thanks… I actually played the piano and sang for the first time in a year last night…” Julie hesitates to tell her. 

“That’s great Julie! I am so proud of you!” Alice tells her, Julie sends a small smile to Alice. “What are you going to do now though, you’ve been kicked from the music program?” 

“Well, somebody gave me an idea, but its kinda big and out there I think so I don’t know.” 

“What idea?” 

“Well… to perform at the pep rally in front of everyone…” Julie tells her, “But I get it, It’s wrong of me, that performance is for Carrie… it would be selfish for me to do that”. 

“Who said you both couldn’t perform, no one has to know… i can help you if you want?” Alice says to her. 

“I can’t ask you for that… what would Carrie say?” 

“Carrie can’t say nothing, I am my own person, and you are my friend…” from the corner of Alice’s eye, the mysterious blonde returns, this time with two other people in the doorway, people walking through. Two more men, both with Darker hair this time, one dressed similarly to her, minus the leather jacket, while the other one wears a light blue tank top, clearly not clothes fashionably from this era, maybe the nineties? 

“Cmon, we better find Flynn and get her to help as well!” Alice pulls Julie behind her, making their way towards the music room, where Flynn resides. The mysterious figures disappear again from site.  
\---  
Alice, Julie and Flynn enter the hall where Carrie is singing ‘wow’, a song that Alice helped create with Carrie, she smiles when she sees the audience enjoying the performance. 

“Look who spent all her daddy's money on costumes and Katy Perry's choreographer.” Flynn says when they first enter the room, Alice rolls her eyes. 

“Well, it paid off.” Julie replies. 

They stop by the edge, Alice standing right to Flynn and Julie on Flynns otherside. The three mysterious figures pop up next to Julie and have a conversation with her. Alice watches Carrie and the other girls perform, she notices the blonde guy dancing along but trying to cover it up from the others. 

“Man, I miss highschool,” the guy with the red flannel shirt and ripped jeans says, causing the other two boys to roll their eyes at him. Carrie finishes performing and the crowd cheers for her. 

“Thank you, thank you…” Carrie thanks the audience, 

“We love you Carrie!” A girl yells from the audience. 

“Oh I love you too!” Carrie replies before carrying on, “Make sure you check out my new youtube video… oh, go bobcats!” before she leads the girls off to the opposite side of the hall where Alice, Julie and Flynn are. Principle Lessa and Mrs Harrison takes to the middle of the floor and says a few words. 

“It’s now or never Julie!” Alice tells her, nodding her towards the stage where a piano resides. 

“Now your chance, go talk to her… see you in music class!” Flynn tells her before grabbing Alice’s arm and pulling her away. Alice looks back to see the three boys exchanging words with Julie. After a few moments, Julie makes her way to the stage and the piano starts playing. 

Julie starts singing while playing the piano, “She’s doing so good!” I tell Flynn before noticing Carrie glaring at Julie on stage. “Flynn, look over there.” I say glancing towards Carrie and Tori. 

“Man if stares could kill, she would be six foot under!” Flynn says causing Alice to laugh. 

Suddenly, the three guys appear on stage playing musical instruments alongside Julie and the crowd goes wild at them, the blond behind a set of drums, while the tank behind a guitar and the ripped jeans on something that looked like a base. Alice looks over to Flynn whose jaw has dropped. 

“Dude, you’ll catch flies with that big mouth of yours like that!” Alice tells Flynn. 

“Who are they!” Flynn whispers. 

“Wait… you can see them?” Alice asks her. “I’m not imagining things?” 

“of course I can see them! The whole school can dumbass!” Flynn rolls her eyes. “Wait, what do you mean?” 

Julie and the mysterious males carry on playing, ‘they aren’t actually bad’ Alice thought. The song comes to an end and the three males and their instruments vanish into thin air again like they never were there. 

‘What the hell?’ Alice thought to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! 
> 
> next update should be up soon. 
> 
> until next time
> 
> Crazelou


	3. an explantation

Silence fills the room as Julie smiles into the crowd, the crowd looks at her in dismay. Everyone is trying to figure out what just went down on that stage. How can three boys appear on stage, play alongside Julie and then disappear into thin air when the song had finished. 

“What the hell just happened?” Flynn whispers to Alice, 

“Shhh, I’m sure Julie has an explanation for all this?” Alice replies to her, trying to convince herself as well as Flynn. 

The sound guy comes from behind the stage up to Julie. “Hey, where did the rest of the band go?” Julie looks at him.

“Wait… Were those holograms?” Tori shouts to Julie from the front of the crowd. Alice rolls her eyes, ‘guarantee Carrie is frowning upon her now’ Alice thought to herself. 

Julie turns to face the crowd, now standing around the stage. 

“Oh yes, Yes they were Holograms, I plugged it into the ceiling projector before the show.” Julie points to the projector in front of the stage. “I’ll explain it but it involves agarhythms and science stuff.” Julie continues causing the crowd to cheer again. 

“Why didn’t she tell us before she performed?” Flynn turns to Alice, Alice doesn’t pay attention to her though, her attention on the three boys, who had just performed, now standing alongside the crowd joking to one another. 

Out of nowhere, the guy in the flannel shirt walks onto the stage and starts to wiggle his bum in front of the crowd and goes back to the others. Alice giggles, “What are you giggling at?” Flynn asks Alice. 

“Oh, I mean, when did Julie think about doing all this?” Alice tells her trying to distract her from her giggling. “And why didn’t she tell us?” 

“Beats me,” Flynn says before turning her attention back to Julie. 

“Alright, people, shows over, let’s get back to class please,” Principle Lessa announces to the crowd causing everyone to move away. Carrie and Tori hesitate and exchange a few words to one another while the guy in the red flannel introduces himself to them, despite them not being able to hear or see him, “Hey there… hi, Reggie, so maybe call you sometime. Whats ya number?” Alice shakes her head to see Mrs Harrison now speaking to Julie, with Principle Lessa standing behind her continuing to see the crowd out of the gym.

“As amazing as that was, your spot has already been filled with a student.” Mrs Harrison turns and points towards Alice. “I wish I could help you but my hands are tied,” 

Principle Lessa turns around to them. “Mine aren’t, as much as I didn’t approve of this little stunt that you pulled, I will not go down in history as the principal who kicked Julie Molina out of the music program”. 

“Thank you!” Julie replies. 

“But, when you win your first grammy, I want to be thanked.” 

“Definitely!” Julie says, excitement coming from her voice. 

“Congrats Jules, you truly deserve the best.” Alice says to her, 

“Ah, Alice, Can I have a word with you in private?” Principle Lessa tells her. 

“Yes Principle Lessa.” Principle Lessa nods her head and Alice follows her out. 

\----

Principle Lessa leads Alice to an empty classroom near to the gym. 

“I take it now Julie is now back in the music program, I’m going back to normal classes?” Alice asks her. 

“No, you are still in that music program Alice, the truth is, there has always been a space for you in there, I was just waiting for the right time to actually get you in there.” Principle Lessa tells her. 

“But I still don’t understand why I have been put in there, I didn’t even audition for it.” Alice says. “I don’t belong there”.

“But you do, Mrs Harrison came to me asking to add you to the program, she said you're one of the most talented music players in the school, so one day when I knew you would be in there with Carrie, I came along and saw it for myself.” Principle Lessa tells her. “I know you are banned from even talking about music at your grandparents but you have a safe place in this school and at your friends houses to play, you even compose the music for Carrie’s songs! That’s incredible”. She smiles at Alice. Alice is speechless, she can’t believe what she is hearing.  
\---  
Alice walks out of the empty classroom towards her next class. The corridors being quiet, the final few people arriving at their classes. Alice could hear someone speaking to someone from a distance, she turned the corner to see Julie speaking to the three boys. 

“Woo, woo. This ones on you, we were already here, actually we were over there and then we came over here,” the guy now Alice knows as Reggie says.  
“Are we not going to talk about what just happened?” The boy in the middle, the one with the tank top on, says. 

“Yeah, the whole school saw you, it's kinda freaking me out,” Julie says to them. Alice goes to go over to them but stops when she hears the blonde go,

“Oh good, because it’s kinda freaking me out too, you can see us, and then people can see us whenever we play music, and my clothes are made of air but some reason I’m still getting a wedgie?” He rambles on. Julie looks at him with a face of disgust. “There so many questions” he turns to face the boy in the middle.

“What do you mean that your clothes are made out of air?” Alice says from behind the boys causing them to jump. Julie's eyes widened. 

“Wait… you can see them?” Julie asks Alice, 

“Yeah, should I not be able to Molina?” Alice walks over to them and stands next to Julie. 

“The important thing is that we rocked that place. They were loving you.” The guy in the middle says. 

“Are you kidding, they loved us.” Julie says. 

“I think the most important thing is, how can she see us!” the blonde says. 

“Hi I’m Reggie!” Reggie pops up, 

“Alex!” the blonde guy says

“Luke,” the boy in the middle says. “We’re ghosts, we died in 1995.” 

“Alice.” Alice introduces herself. “I still don’t understand why it seems that only Julie and I can see you!” 

“Yeah, still trying to work that out myself,” 

“Did you see those cheerleaders looking at me? I think they were looking at me!” he turns his attention to Luke. “Please tell me they were looking at me!”, grabbing onto Luke’s arms. Alice and Julie laugh. 

“Bro, they were looking at you!” Luke replies, grabbing hold of Reggies face. 

“Ah I knew it” Reggie goes high pitch suddenly. Alex rolls his eyes. 

“I’m so confused, you know, the afterlife should come with, with instructions, or a quick start guide or something!” 

“Well, the good thing is that the whole school fell for the holograms story!” Alice chirps up. 

“Why aren’t you freaking out?” Julie turns her attention to Alice. 

“Well, when you live with my grandparents, things like this just seem normal I guess.” Alice says looking down. 

“Oi, Molina, Mercer get to class!” Principle Lessa stares directly at the two girls from behind the boys stood, Alex jumps hearing his last name for the first time since he came back as a spirit. 

“Yes Principle Lessa!” The girls say before heading off to class. 

“Laters Julie! Alice! Tell those cheerleaders I’m single!” Reggie tells them when the two girls begin to walk off.

“Oh and that he’s dead!” Alex pipes up.

“No, no, no, leave that part out!”  
\---  
Reggie, Luke and Alex poofs into the studio. 

“That Alice girl’s last name is Mercer…” Alex whispers to himself but Reggie and Luke overhears him. 

“She definitely has your family's look Alex…” Reggie points out causing Alex to start pacing the studio. 

“Not helping Reggie!” Luke says to him. Alex continues to pace until he suddenly stops. “Is there any chance of Sarah being a mum?”

“Dude, we died 17 years ago, of course she could have a child by now!” Alex pipes up. 

“We still don’t know if she is definitely related to you!” Luke pipes up. 

“She stereotypically a Mercer, blonde hair, blue eyes, the only thing that is different about her is clearly her dress sense… no offense Reggie!” Alex says to him and then continues to pace up and down.

“Hey, there is nothing wrong with my dress sense!” 

“I kinda agree, She fits the bill, also she pulls that style off!” Luke says to the others. 

“I think he’s practicing his model struct!” Reggie whispers loudly to Luke. 

“He’s so nervous, it's almost making me nervous!” 

Alex stops and looks at Reggie and Luke, “Ok, look, you guys know I don’t handle change well, alright, death? That was a change! Than we became ghosts?, alright, another change, and now we can be seen whenever we play with Julie!, big freaking change!” 

“Oh, don’t forget your supposed niece!” Reggie points out, Luke stares at him disappointedly.

“Yeah but bro, it was a good change! With Julie we can play on stage again and be the band we never got to be!” Luke pipes up. “Cmon, you’ve got to be down for that!” 

“Yeah… who wouldn’t be but Luke! It’s not all about music! I thought I might have not heard about my family again, and now I have a niece! That I have missed so much of everyone’s lives!

“At least we know she’s not related to Reggie!” Luke pipes up, 

“Hey! What’s wrong with that!” 

“I mean, you aren’t the brightest…” Alex starts saying. “At least we know you can’t be the father, you and Sarah were well over by the time we died!” 

“And she's in Julie’s year at school.” Reggie pipes up whispering. “Which makes her 16”. Reggie looks down. 

“I want to figure out why!” Alex carries on ignoring Reggie’s comments. 

“Forget why!” Luke begins before standing up. “I say we invite Julie to join Sunset Curve!” 

“Yeah totally!” Reggie joins in whilst standing up next to Luke looking at him. “I mean, think about it, with a new lead singer, this band would be legendary!” 

“Hey! I’m our lead singer!” Luke stares into Reggies big, beautiful green eyes, he gets lost in them for a second then begins to cough. 

“Dude, that girl has the voice of an angel! And she can make us visible! Without her, we are like elevator music!” Reggie replies to him whilst Alex starts pacing again. 

“You don’t have to be so mean about it…” Luke shyly says looking like a sad puppy. “And we are on the runway again!” 

“Ok, I’m sorry, alright I just…. I’ve gotta go clear my head!” Alex says before walking over to the white double doors in the studio. He goes to open the doors but he can’t grab the door handles. He begins to frantically try to touch the handles. He takes a pause before trying again. 

“Dude, you’re a ghost, just poof out” Reggie points out to him. 

“Don’t tell me how to ghost!” Alex raises his voice slightly before poofing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading
> 
> see you again soon
> 
> Crazelou


	4. A family feud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention in earlier chapters that I have set this fanfiction in 2012, rather in 2020 like in the show otherwise it wouldn't have made much sense.
> 
> Also this chapter contains a little bit of homophobia

Alice comes out of the main set of doors from the school, Carrie and Tori on each of her sides. 

“I still can’t believe they have just let Julie back in the program just like that,” Carrie states. “We’ve all earned our spots! She lost hers!” Alice rolls her eyes. 

“I kinda just got a place in it…” Alice tells Carrie. “I can’t help but think I’m not supposed to be in there”.

“Stop! This is getting too repetitive! You have earned your place, just in a different way to everyone else in the program!” Carrie points out. 

Before Alice can reply, she looks towards the car park to see her Mum’s Audi A3 in the car park. “Mum’s here… I’ve gotta go”. 

“Text ya later girl!” Carrie tells her before going into a hug, Alice smiles and hugs her back. Alice Mum honks her car horn causing them to jump. 

“Looks like someone is getting a little inpatient” Alice says, “Bye guys!” 

“Good luck, we’re only a phone call away!” Carrie says before Alice walks towards the silver car. She slips into the passenger seat. 

“Hi mum…” Alice speaks to her Mum in person for the first time in 3 months. 

“How was your day darling?” 

“It was good….” awkward silence filled the car as Sarah drove along the road. “I could have just had Carrie drop me off, you know? You didn’t have to waste your time coming all the way here”. 

“I haven’t wasted my time, I needed to speak to you without your grandparents around…” 

“Thanks for that, it's not like you have to deal with the consequences when they find out that I am in that program! You know how they get like and I have to deal with it!” 

“Don’t mention it in front of them and you’ll be fine, I’ve told the school if they need to discuss it with someone to contact me, not them.” Her mum reassures her. Although her mum was never around, neglectful at times, she still just wants the best for her daughter. Alice smiles at her. They pull into the driveway of the smallish blue suburban house the Mercers had always lived in. 

“We better get in before Grandma comes out and attacks the two of us for being late…” Alice nods her head to her mum.  
\---  
Inside, Nancy was frantically cleaning the kitchen top to bottom whilst John had remained on his chair in the lounge for the majority of the day since Alice left for school this morning. The front door opens and Sarah and Alice step inside. 

“We’re back!” Sarah shouted causing Nancy to walk into the corridor, “welcome back my darling,” Nancy says. “Alice, I’ve laid the dress I want you to wear today on your bed, go make yourself actually presentable!” 

“Yes Grandma!” Alice makes her way towards her room on the second floor, she walks into the small room that had been roughly painted a cream colour. A metal single bed, a used dressing table, an old chest of drawer/wardrobe that is falling apart are basically the only things in there making the room look sad. 

Alice notices what appeared to be a knee length white dress that had light blue flowers covering most of the dress. “Are you serious?” Alice whispers to herself. “I'm going to look like a old lady in this”. 

“That’s…. Well something!” Alice notices her mum standing in the doorway to her room. 

“It’s awful Mum! I can’t wear that!” 

“Just put it on Alice Alexander! You know how your grandma is like for getting her own way”, Sarah walks over to her daughter. “Oh, you need to cover your roots soon, they're starting to show…” 

“I don’t understand the need to cover my hair mum!” 

“We have a representation in our family that we need to uphold, and if that means you having to dye your hair in order to fit into our family, so be it”. Sarah looks at Alice, “sometimes you have to do things that you really don’t want to do.” Alice rolls her eyes. “Get dressed, we gotta leave in fifteen, oh leave your hair down, it should hopefully hide your slight roots, oh and change your makeup for lighter!.” 

Without another word, Sarah leaves the room. Alice looks down at the dress and sighs, before chucking her clothes off and putting the dress on. Walking over to the dressing table in the corner of the room. She quickly changes her makeup and looks in the small mirror that is in the vanity, she just frowns at her appearance. ‘I look awful…’ she thought to herself before coming back out to find her family. 

Whilst looking for her grandma, granddad and mum, she sees Alex poof into the house. Alex can’t help but laugh, “Let me guess, Mum's idea?” Alice just sends him a dirty look as she is too worried to talk to him, especially where someone could hear her speaking to him. “I take that as a yes” Alice rolls her eyes. Alice continues to look around her house, Alex following closely behind her.  
She eventually finds her Grandpa waiting in the lounge, this time in a suit. He glances over to see his granddaughter. “You look beautiful darling, you should wear more stuff like this, people then won’t be confused, the last thing you need is someone accusing you to be a fag my darling”. 

“Of course Grandpa,” Alice replies to him, the last thing she needs is to cause an argument between her and her grandparents. Alice couldn’t help but feel bad for Alex though, she knew he had followed her into the room.

“Oh what am I saying, my beautiful granddaughter wouldn’t betray god like that,” John says, “It’s a good thing you take after your mum,” John goes over to Alice and pulls her into a hug, “you are so much better then that fag of an uncle of yours, he got his comeuppance.”

“John, she doesn’t want to know about that! How many more times!” Nancy comes up behind them. Alice struggles to pull away from John but finally manages to get away. 

“What is so wrong about speaking about him! He’s still your son! My uncle!” Alice snaps. “My middle name is his for crying out loud!” 

“That’s your mothers fault Alice! And as long as you are in my house, you are NOT to mention that name again or refer to him being your uncle again!” Alice looks down.

“Yes Grandfather.” She knew better than to answer him back. She looks towards where Alex stood, a tear runs down his cheek. Alice looks down. Alex poofs out of the room trying to stop himself from crying.

“Look at you Alice!” Nancy diverts the room's attention. “See, getting you out of that horrible clothing of yours and now you actually look like a lady!” 

“Go do one will you?” Alice bursts out, “I look like an old lady in this dress! This isn’t me! All i want to do is be me, Grandma, when can you accept that!” Alice storms out the house and down the road. 

She continues to walk down the road, not paying attention to her now screaming Grandma who continued to scream her name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! please comment and let me know what you think!
> 
> See you soon!
> 
> Crazelou


	5. a huge secret is exposed

Julie, Flynn, Luke and Reggie all sat in the studio at Julie’s house just after Julie proved to Flynn that the three boys were in fact ghosts. They all wait for Alex to return after he suddenly disappears from the room. 

Julie and Flynn talked to each other whilst Luke and Reggie mainly listened to the two, occasionally adding into the conversation due to the fact Flynn couldn’t exactly see or listen to what they were saying so whenever they chirped up, Julie filled Flynn in. 

After sometime, Alex poofed back into the studio, he had clearly been crying, Reggie and Luke both rushed over to him, Julie stood back and just let Alex speak to the two ghosts, even though it hurts Julie not being able to go over and comfort the crying ghost. 

“It’s true… She’s Sarah’s daughter,” Alex clears it up with Reggie and Luke. “John still hates me it seems…” 

“What does that mean?” Reggie asks him. 

“It means that John thinks it my own fault that we’re dead. He said it was god’s way in getting me back from coming out as gay…” Julie wants to go over and give him a hug but she can’t as, well, Alex is a ghost. She can’t believe that someone could be so cruel towards his own son who had passed away so suddenly. 

“What’s happened with Alice?” Reggie asks him, clearly he is concerned. 

“She tried to defend me I think, I dunno where she happened to go, if she's still with them to be honest.” 

“Alice tends to not be there, she is only there at nighttime or when they force her to go to church, she tends to be either over hanging out with Carrie or jamming in here.” Julie pipes up, knowing what her friend is like.

“Wait… they force her to go to church?” Luke asks Julie.

“Unfortunately yes, that girl couldn’t be less religious as they could get though,” Julie tells them. 

“I’m going to go see if I can find her.” Alex says, before he could poof out, Julie pipes up again. 

“If she’s not at home, tell her that she is more than welcome to come here if she doesn’t want to go home yet,” 

“Thanks Julie,” Alex poofs out.  
\--  
Alice gets to the park four streets down from her grandparents house and goes to sit on the park bench in the corner so hardly anyone could see her. She didn’t want people seeing her how she was dressed, it surely wasn’t her. She puts her head down in her hands, she didn’t know what to do. Her phone was being blown up, she guessed it would be from her mother but she couldn’t get herself to look.

Alex poofs up next to her and sits down on the bench beside her causing Alice to jump. “You alright?” 

“Does it look like I’m alright,” Alice snaps. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.” The pair remained silent for a few seconds.

“I’m sorry that you had to hear all what Grandfather said Uncle Alex…” Alice apologises to him. 

“Christianity… am i right!” Alex jokes causing Julie to laugh, 

“Oh don’t get me started on that… christianity is the biggest load of bullshit going” Alice says quietly so no one else could hear. “I’m sorry, you must have been…” 

“No, I used to be anyway, but as soon as I was old enough to actually think about it myself, I agreed with you,” Alex smiles at Alice. Alice and Alex laughed at each other, before Alex had a more serious look on his face. “Hey Alice, can I ask you something?” 

“Yeah…”  
\----  
Julie was speaking to Flynn, Reggie and Luke about what had just happened with Alex and Alice. 

“At least Alice only has to last till March till she’s legally allowed to move out and get her own place.” Flynn pipes up. 

“You’re right there.” Julie agrees with Flynn. 

“Wait… don’t you have to be 18 to have your own place?” Reggie asks. 

“She’ll be 18 in March, she’s a year older than us.” Julie answers. 

“But she’s in your year…” Luke asks. 

“Yeah she got held back a year due to her moving around alot when she was younger with her mum. 

The four continue to speak to each other before Flynn announces that she had to go home. 

“I’ll be right back guys, I'm just going to see Flynn out guys,” Julie speaks to Reggie and Luke before walking out.  
“Wait… that means Sarah was a month pregnant before we passed away…” Reggie says turning more pale if it was possible for him to do so. 

“Yeah… so... “

“Oh, my…” Reggie realises something. 

“No way Reg… but the both of you were over three months before that….” Luke asks him. “Wait… weren’t you?” Reggie shakes his head. “REGINALD PETERS… YOU LIED TO US!” 

“It wasn’t my idea… it was Sarahs, her dad didn’t like me so we had to hide our relationship from him, which meant having to hide it from Alex as well…” Reggie tells him. Luke listens to him. Reggie looked down at the ground in embarrassment, he was ashamed that he had to hide it from his best friends.

“Look, I regret having to do it, but I didn’t particularly have any other choice if I wanted to stay with her.” 

“Oh Reggie,” Luke pulls him into a hug

“What does this mean Luke?” 

“It means that you are most likely her father…” Julie pipes up from the embracing ghosts.  
\----  
“Why did you get so… concerned about what granddad said?” Alex looks at Alice. 

“He doesn’t know, but I am actually bisexual and if he found out…” Alice looked away. 

“He would flip…” Alex agrees. 

“He would certainly disown me how he did with you…” Alice lets a tear fall down her face. 

“You got anywhere to go?” Alex asks her. 

“I’m just going to sit here for a bit I suppose, wait for them to go to church and then sneak back in I guess…” Alice quietly says to Alex. 

“You don’t have to go back, you know. I’m sure Julie would allow you to go there…” Alex brings up. 

“I don’t want to bother anyone though, she has been through a lot in the last year, she doesn’t need more shit…” 

“Don’t hate me, but I spoke to her about it, she’s the one who suggested that I ask you… it took me a while to find you though!”Alex smiles at her. “She also told me that if you didn’t come to hers, she would find you herself…” Alice rolls her eyes.

“Cmon, let’s go to Julie’s…. She can help you get out of that horrid dress… no offense.” Alex gets up. 

“This wasn’t exactly my choice to wear…” 

“I know…” The two head towards Julie’s house, which is about a 10 minute walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, who saw that coming.... well most people I suppose lol (well about Reggie being her father lol, i didn't exactly hide that lol) 
> 
> but our Alice is bisexual :D
> 
> Well until next time (Would most likely be soon as I am currently on a roll getting chapters out lol
> 
> Crazelou


	6. Flashback

-July 1995-

Sarah sat upon Alex's bed going through scrapbooks of what she had put together of her brother Alex and his friend Reggie, Luke and Bobby crying her eyes out. Her Mum and Dad just had the worst news given to them that she could imagine over the phone. Sarah just not lost her younger brother but the love of her life.

She didn’t have many photos of just her and Reggie, the majority of the photos had all five of them in. She regretted not sticking up for her relationship with Reggie more to her father, that she didn’t make more of an effort with him, they had agreed to keep their relationship hidden until when Sarah went off to College in september, so she decided to keep up the act to her parents.

For the first time in her life, Sarah felt alone, she was scared, only a few days ago she discovered something that would change her life forever, she wanted to tell Reggie straight away but she kept it to herself, well she had decided that she would tell him after his gig, so he could mainly focus on accomplishing his dream. 

-Sept 2012-  
Reggie stays still, too still, he couldn’t believe that he had a daughter. ‘Did Sarah know she was pregnant before we died?’ Reggie thought she would have told him if she did know, they wouldn’t keep secrets from one another, well, he made sure that he told Sarah everything. 

Luke goes over to Reggie and puts his hand on Reggie’s shoulder. “Bro, you ok?” 

“Does it look like I’m okay Luke!” Reggie yells. “I have a daughter who I have missed everything for!” 

“I know Reg, and that is something you can’t change, but us coming back as ghosts means that you get to be in her life now! And that is what matters most!” Luke tells a shocked Reggie. 

“I guess you’re right, at least she can see us bro!” Reggie agrees with him. 

“Guys, I think that there's something you should know about Alice…” Julie starts looking at Luke and Reggie in concern, this makes the two ghosts frightened. 

“What is it Jules?” Reggie turns his attention fully onto Julie. 

“Sarah, Nancy and John all raised her to believe that her father left her… that he didn’t want her…” Julie carefully says to him. Reggie collapses on the floor. 

“I can’t believe this!” Reggie starts, “I can believe that her grandparents would do something like that but Sarah!” 

Luke crouches down to be at Reggies side, comforting him. “You know what they were like towards Alex and Sarah. Sarah properly felt alone and didn’t want anyone else to leave her”. Reggie looks directly into Luke's eyes and Luke stares back at him. Julie coughs after a while of them just exchanging looks to each other. 

“I think Alice can’t find out about this…” Reggie begins after coming to his senses. “For her sake, she can’t know… from the little bit we have seen, and the fact that we know that her Grandparents are like, it would kill her if she knew the truth…” Reggie gets off the floor. 

“Bro, think about what you are saying right now…” Luke tells him. The two ghosts look towards Julie. 

“I have to agree with Reggie on this… I have known Alice since forever,” Julie tells them. 

“You’d know we have to keep this from Alex right? He would certainly tell her…” Luke tells Reggie. 

“I know, but it’s something that needs to happen…”  
\---  
Alice eventually walks onto Julie’s driveway, Alex having walked all the way back with her despite the fact that he could of just poofed back to the studio and waited for her to get there, he did not want to leave her alone, although from anyone else’s view, all they saw was Alice walking fast speaking to herself. 

She makes her way over to the front door and knocks. Ray, Julie’s Dad opens the door. 

“Hey Mr Molina”, Alice says to him.

“Come on in Alice, Julie is currently in the studio out the back,” Ray says before letting her in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter than usual, sorry guys, 
> 
> Crazelou


	7. Chapter seven

-Alex POV-  
I poofed back into the studio before Alice entered the Molina house. It didn’t feel quite comfortable with walking through the house without Julie, Luke or Reggie. Even though Ray and Carlos wouldn’t be able to see me, I was still cautious. 

As soon as I entered though, I could sense the tension in the room, it’s quite unsettleing, what did I miss? So I asked them.

“Nothing much?” Luke replies quickly, making it sound more like a question than an answer, which is weird!

“You sure? As you don’t sound sure…” 

“Where's Alice?” Julie changes the topic. 

“Oh, she’s just coming now, she was just speaking to Ray when I left her, she should be here…” before I can finish his sentence fully, the doors to the studio opens and Alice walks in, still wearing the ridiculous dress. As soon as Luke sees her, he can’t help but laugh at the dress Alice had on. I glare at him to warn him to shut up. 

“Who died in that dress?” Luke giggled causing Alice to glare at him. 

“Follow me, I’ll lend you some clothes as that dress doesn’t do you any favours… no offense,” Julie tells her before grabbing her and walking out the door. “We will be back soon guys!” 

-3rd person POV-

Carrie sat cuddling on the white sofa in the lounge in her house with Nick, her boyfriend. Nick was the son of two men, his dad’s were popular all over Vancouver ever since they had moved from Salt Lake City. Her and Nick are what the school considered a power couple. 

Carrie’s Dad was Trevor Wilson, huge in the music business with his songs he had written; Crooked Teeth, my name is Luke, Get Lost and Long Weekend to name a few. Whilst his Dad was Chad Danforth, the star player for the Vancouver Grizzlies and Ryan Evans, who was continuously touring the world. 

They were binge-watching the first and second season of The Vampire Diaries before the third season started at the end of the month. Around halfway through an episode, Carrie’s blackberry started ringing, she rolled her eyes before pausing the show before seeing who was calling her. She saw it was Sarah ringing her. She clicked the answer button. 

“Hi Sarah! What can I help you with?...... she’s not with me…. I see, I’ll try getting hold of her and let you know… ok bye!” Carrie became more alert during the phone call. The way she was reacting made Nick nervous. Carrie hung up the phone and turned to Nick. She quickly gets up.

“Apparently Alice has walked off after having an argument with her Grandfather and now Sarah can't find or get hold of her”, Carrie tells Nick before dialling Alice’s number which went straight through to voicemail. “Shoot, straight to voicemail”. 

“Maybe she turned her phone off?” Nick suggests. 

“No really? I wouldn’t have guessed that!” Carrie says before getting her shoes on. “Cmon, we gotta go out and look for her!”  
\---  
Alice sat on Julie’s bed whilst Julie was going through her clothes to find some trousers and a top that would fit her. Although Julie could find some grey tracksuit bottoms that would fit her easily, she was having more difficulty finding a top as Alice’s boobs were bigger than Julies. 

Julie chucks the bottoms over to Alice. “Here put these on, I’m going to go ask Dad if he’s got a top you can wear, none of mine will fit…” she tells her before leaving the room before looking for Ray. 

She finds Ray in the kitchen cooking with Reggie standing near to him speaking to him despite Ray not actually being able to see or hear him. 

“Dad… Have you got a top Alice can borrow? Mine wouldn’t fit her properly”, Julie asks Ray, Reggie pays attention as he hears Alice’s name. 

“I probably do, I’ll have a quick look, wait here”, Ray tells her before heading towards his room. 

“Everything alright with Alice Jules?” Reggie asks Julie concerned. 

Julie looks around to make sure no one is about before saying. “We Haven't really spoken about it yet Reggie, the first thing I thought was getting her into clothes that she actually would feel comfortable in”. 

Reggie nods his head back before Ray walks back into the kitchen handing Julie a plain black t-shirt. 

“Hopefully that one will fit her, I tried to choose one that she would prefer to wear over that horrid dress”, Ray says. 

“Thanks”, Julie says before walking back to her room to see Alice now out of the dress sitting in the grey trackies and just her bra. “Here, quickly put this on then we can go hang in the studio?”, Julie throws the top over to her. Alice quickly throws the top on.

“Hey J, thanks for this”, Alice tells her. 

“You know you are always welcome here Al”, Julie says to her. “Now c'mon, the guys are waiting”.   
\---  
Carrie and Nick drive around the neighbourhood keeping an eye out for Alice, Nick continuously trying to ring Alice’s phone just in case she’s turned it back on, which hasn't happened just yet. 

They drive for what seems forever before Nick sees Flynn walking towards her house. 

“Carrie, Flynn’s there, maybe she’s either seen or heard anything about Alice’s whereabouts”, Nick says to her. 

“Ugh, she wouldn’t go to Flynn”. 

“You know that isn’t true right, and even if she hasn’t heard anything, you can guarantee that Julie might know something, those two share everything!” Nick says to her. “Now hurry before Flynn goes into her house! 

“Ugh, fine! Just to prove you wrong!” Carrie pulls her car directly beside Flynn, startling her. 

“Jesus christ guys! What are you doing!” 

“Have you heard from Alice?” Carrie sturnly gets to the point. 

“Why’d you wanna know?” Carrie turns to stare at Nick.

“See Nick! I told you this was a waste of time!” 

“Flynn, if you have seen her we need to know, she’s run off from her house after having an argument with the Grandfather”, Nick asks Flynn, nicer than when Carrie said. 

“Oh yeah, last time I heard that she was actually on her way to Julie’s…” Flynn smiles at the two in the car. “Good luck guys!” Flynn walks off into her house.


	8. 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for it being so long without updating, I ran in a bit of writers block where I didn't know how to put what I wanted, anyway enjoy the chapter!

-Alice POV-

We reach the staircase to go downstairs. I look at a photo of a younger Julie, Rose, Ray and Carlos all smiling at a camera. “Am I doing the right thing Jules?” I ask her. There is always that doubt that I’m doing the wrong thing, “what if my grandparents beliefs are what is real, I mean, look at what happened to my Uncles band for crying out loud”. 

Julie turns to face me at the bottom of the staircase. “Al, I can assure you that you are doing the right thing, sticking up for what you believe in! Being kind and caring towards everybody, you are one of the best people I know Alice, don’t ever think you are not”.

I slouch down on the stairs I’m on. “I get where you are coming from Jules, but… you’re just saying that as you are one of my friends, I mean… if you didn’t even know me, you wouldn’t say the same thing”. Julie sighs and comes and sits down on the step before me, putting her hand on my knee, which I slide off after a few minutes, it just feels super weird. 

“How about we go jam in the studio with the others?” Julie says after a while. “We don’t even have to talk about it if you don’t want to?”, I take a deep breath before grabbing hold of Julie’s hand. I smiled at her as she smiled back before we both walked towards the back door, leading the way to the studio. 

We enter the studio door to see an empty space, Uncle Alex, Reggie and Luke nowhere in sight. Julie looks at me in disbelief. “It’s less dusty in here…” I tell her. 

“I’ve been cleaning out in here… it’s actually how I met Alex, Reggie and Luke,” Julie tells me. 

“How did you come across them?” I ask her. 

“I found one of their old demo CD’s among Mum’s stuff, I was curious and played it, and the next thing I knew is that they poofed out of nowhere right in front of me”. I nod my head before walking over to the piano located in the middle of the room. Running my hands over the top of the keys, I sit down on the bench. 

“Any requests?” I ask her looking in her direction where she was standing. 

“I think you know which song!” Julie says with enthusiasm in her voice. 

“Coming right up then!” I look down at the keys and start to play the melody of EmilI Sande’s Read All About It on the Piano. I look up to Julie quickly seeing her smiling and making her way over to the piano. I smile towards her before I start to sing the lyrics to the song, 

You've got the words to change a nation  
But you're biting your tongue  
You've spent a life time stuck in silence  
Afraid you'll say something wrong  
If no one ever hears it how we gonna learn your song?  
Julie gets to the piano and sits beside me on the little bit of bench that I am not sat on.  
You've got a heart as loud as lions  
So why let your voice be tamed?  
Maybe we're a little different  
There's no need to be ashamed  
You've got the light to fight the shadows  
So stop hiding it away  
Come on, come on

I wanna sing, I wanna shout  
I wanna scream 'til the words dry out  
So put it in all of the papers  
I'm not afraid  
They can read all about it  
Read all about it, no oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
I nod my head towards Julie before she starts to sing the next bit of the song. 

At night we're waking up the neighbors  
While we sing away the blues  
Making sure that we're remembered, yeah  
'Cause we all matter too  
If the truth has been forbidden  
Then we're breaking all the rules  
So come on, come on  
Come on, come on  
Uncle Alex, Reggie and Luke poofs back into the room in front of the drum kit near the spiral staircase in the room.  
Let's get the TV and the radio  
To play our tune again  
It's 'bout time we got some airplay of our version of events  
There's no need to be afraid  
I will sing with you my friend  
Come on, come on

Luke looks over to Julie, admiring her singing, I see a glint of sparks coming from his eye whilst listening to Julie sings, I smile whilst continuing to play the song on the piano.  
I wanna sing, I wanna shout  
I wanna scream 'til the words dry out  
So put it in all of the papers  
I'm not afraid  
They can read all about it  
Read all about it, oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
-Reggie POV-  
I poof into the room with Luke and Alex to find Julie singing at the piano with Alice playing the melody of the song. I look over to the two females, a small smile on my face, as I listen closely to my daughter play the piano, gosh she is so talented! 

What takes me and the boys by surprise is that Alice takes the next part of the song, singing perfectly to the lyrics, although I haven’t heard this song before, I knew that she hit every tone in her voice correctly. 

Yeah, we're all wonderful, wonderful people  
So when did we all get so fearful?  
Now we're finally finding our voices  
So take a chance, come help me sing this  
Yeah, we're all wonderful, wonderful people  
So when did we all get so fearful?  
And now we're finally finding our voices  
Just take a chance, come help me sing this

Julie joins in till the end of the song, the two voices blending into one another perfectly.  
I wanna sing, I wanna shout  
I wanna scream 'til the words dry out  
So put it in all of the papers  
I'm not afraid  
They can read all about it  
Read all about it, no oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh  
Oh oh oh,  
Oh oh oh  
At night we're waking up the neighbors  
While we sing away the blues  
Making sure that we're remembered, yeah…  
-Alice POV-  
Although the boys poofed in halfway through Julie and I singing together, we both continued on until the end of the song, the boys looked shocked when I started singing. 

After a few moments of silence in the room, Julie spoke up. “Nice to see you guys in here…”

“Wow guys, we knew you could sing Julie but we didn’t realise that Alice could sing as well!” Luke says. 

“You’re really good Alice, you voices joined together like they were built for each other”, Alex says, I smile at him. 

“We used to do this alot when we were younger, especially with Flynn’s rapping, we were basically unstoppable”, I tell the guys. 

“What made you stop?” Reggie asks, Luke, Alex and I stare in disbelief at him. 

“Bro seriously?” 

“No it’s alright Luke… I stopped singing when I lost my mum Reggie…” Julie reminds him. Before anyone else could say anything, Julie’s phone rings, Julie glances down at her phone screen before answering. 

“What do you want Carrie” Why is Carrie calling Julie? Unless, for fuck sake, she’s probably had my mum on the phone asking her if I was with her. “No…. yeah she’s here with me, don’t worry about her, she’s safe…” I lean across and tell Julie to put the phone on loud. 

“Carrie I’m fine,” I tell her once i knew the phone was on loud so she could hear me. 

“You have your mum worried about you, you know!” Carrie starts, “You can’t just disappear like that!” 

“Carrie what did she tell you?” I ask her, a hunch of me thinking that mum would of lied to her what had actually happened. 

“She just said you walked out the house after having an argument with your grandparents, she’s only worried about you, especially as you’ve turned your phone off,” Carrie says over the phone. 

“I’ll message her and let her know I am alright Carrie now, I just needed to get away from them and their homophobic words!” I smile at the phone although she can’t see it. 

“Ok fine, but please make sure you do!” Carrie says. 

“I'm doing it right now! Bye babes!” I say before quickly hanging up Julies phone. I rolled my eyes and just sent a text to mum letting her know that I was okay and would be home later on.


	9. above the beach in malibu

A few weeks passed and not a lot really happened in my life, I just carried on for what I usually do, the usual routine you know, wake up, school, go to either Carrie’s or Julie to hang out, sleep. Although I didn’t spend much time at the place I currently have to call home, it seems now-a-days I spend even less there, if that was even possible.

Especially since after Mum had to go back over to England for her job, my grandparents gave me a harsher time than before, an argument with Grandma causing me to have to dye my hair again as apparently my roots were coming through, which they really weren't that obvious. It’s becoming harder to be the perfect granddaughter they want me to be. 

Whilst I sit in the main studio in Carrie's house, I zone out whilst she bangs on about her plan for her new song with the rest of the dirty candy girls for the annual talent contest. You see, every year Loz Feliz High School puts on a talent contest where students from not just from the music program, but the whole school, can compete, the school invites lots of talent scouts for the audience to watch their students perform. Even if it was still a few months away, Carrie will plan what she wanted to do in advance. 

I usually get lucky and not have to perform, just helping Carrie out with the background music of her soundtrack. But this year is different from the one’s in previous years. I have to perform, due to the fact that I am now a student in the music program. If i refused to do it, I would risk my overall grade for the year, you see, it is a compulsory assignment for people in the program, although anyone could enter. 

The results are always the same, Carrie winning the overall show, many think that it’s down to the fact that her father, Trevor Wilson, (that we found out last week was just a fake name) is the judge of the contest. Due to this, many students don't enter as the contest is basically rigged. I’m here for Carrie, but I know what she is going to be like when I tell her the truth.

“Alice, are you paying attention?” Carrie snaps me out of my daydream. 

“Oh yeah, sorry!” 

“I said, as well as doing the music for the backing track, maybe you could provide some back up vocals?” she says gleaming towards me. 

“Yeah sure, as long as I’m not on the stage…” I tell her. It’s not like I’m scared or anything, but I really don’t feel comfortable performing on stage in front of a large crowd. It is something different than performing in front of my friends than in front of the whole school. 

“I was actually hoping you would also perform on stage with us…” Carrie tells me. Oh shit.   
\---  
-Julie’s POV-  
Luke, Reggie and I were just rehearsing the music for one of the upcoming Julie and the Phantoms songs until Alex walked through the studio door.   
“Oh hey, Alex”. Reggie greets him.

“Where have you been? We need to start practicing!” Luke rushes out getting straight to the point, I kind of agreed with Luke, we did have a set rehearsal time today, we had to make sure we were ready before our upcoming gig.

“Yeah? For what?” Alex says clueless. Oh yeah, I need to fill him in as he wasn’t here when I told the other two. 

Before one of us could speak, one of the doors open to the garage, Flynn walked in, throwing her hands in the air. “Contest news!” she yells out. I shake my head, how can she know stuff already? Oh wait, she’s Flynn, she finds a way to find everything out! 

“Oooo, what is it?” Reggie puts out even though Flynn wouldn’t be able to hear him. 

“Seriously dude, she won’t be able to hear you!” Alex tells him, looking in Flynn's direction. I chuckle causing Flynn to look weirdly at me. 

“It’s just the guys… what do you know?” I ask her, generally interested in hearing what she was going to say.

“What the guys are here!” Flynn freaks out, tutting, “Hey Guys!” waving behind me, the opposite direction to where the boys were stood, not like she knew any different, she couldn’t exactly see them. 

“Other way, sweetie!” I tell her. She looks the other direction, and lets out a oh, waving towards where the guys stood. 

“Ok, well, now that Alex has graced us with his presence, can we start working?” Luke sulks in the back. 

“In a sec, Flynn, what did you have to tell us about the show?” 

“Oh that, yeah, apparently Trevor Wilson isn’t judging this year!” Flynn freaks out, “someone else is, I don’t know who, but apparently Wilson is too busy with his latest album, which means anybody has a fair chance this year against Carrie!” 

“What? That’s huge!” I say to her, getting excited, to generally have a chance against Carrie is huge! Although it appears to be just a school talent show, it’s so much more than that! 

“Who’s Trevor Wilson?” Reggie asks. Oh yeah, I forgot the boys wouldn’t know who he was, with him becoming huge a few years after they had died. “And what is he to do with that Carrie chick?” 

“Trevor is a huge music star from this area and he happens to be Carrie’s dad so he puts a lot of support into the school, every year he picks the winner of the show and it’s always Carrie, even if she wasn’t the best one there”, I explain to the guys who nods. “Anyway, we’re going to rehearse! You wanna stick around?” I ask Flynn. 

“I’m supposed to help Mum go grocery shopping, but that sounds way better, I’m in!” Flynn says before taking a seat on the chair behind her. 

“Hey Julie, remember those orbs in Dad’s pictures?” Carlos says, barging Flynn out of the way. Oh gosh, what does he want! “I… I think they’re ghosts! But don’t worry this room is… is….” Carlos spins around the room, looking carefully at everything. “This room is clean, I’m not getting the ghost tinglies!”

“Wrong again, little dude!” Reggie smirks from sitting on the stall placed behind him. I stop myself from laughing. 

“Have no fear, if they come back, I will protect you, because I am the man of the house!” He tells me, he’s so adorable. 

“Isn’t dad supposed to be the man of the house?” I question him, smirking crossing my arms over my chest. 

“There can be two”. Carlos says quietly to me. “Dad needs all the help he can get, right!” I chuckle at him, sure. “According to the internet, Salt burns their souls out.” he explains before throwing salt all around the room. “A little sprinkle will keep them from ever coming in here”. 

The boys freak out next to Flynn as we watch Carlos throw salt around the room. But Alex is next level, he shouts “No!” as he gets salt flinged in his direction. “Oh god, I’m…” He starts to bend down slowly before realising “I’m fine!” only him! 

I nod in Flynn direction, trying to get her attention to take Carlos away. She soon realises what I’m trying to do and distracts Carlos. “Oh! Carlos, you know who’s hungry? Me! Um, salt me a path to the kitchen?” she asks him, Carlos leads the way, throwing salt on the crowd, creating the path for Flynn. 

“Shall we try this again?” I say to the guys after making sure Carlos was out of earshot. As Alex takes his place at his drums and Reggie gets hold of his bass again, Luke stands up. 

“Yes please, but remind us later! There's some sunset curve songs to show you!” Luke says excitedly to me. 

“Ooh! Show me now!” I tell him eager to hear them, he is such a good songwriter! 

“Yeah, ok!” He rushes to get his song book. He picks up a notebook with a piece of paper sticking out the top of it. “Home is where my horse is?! Reggie, stop putting your country songs in my journal!” Reggie walks up behind him, these two!

“That was a gift!” Reggie explains to him. 

“Thanks, buddy!” Luke says sarcastically to him, slapping his arm on the way over to me. 

“I dog-eared the ones that I think you would slay!” Luke says to me before handing me the book. I take it and flip through the journal. 

I slightly chuckle where I see a song called Unsaid Emily, wanting to find out more, I ask him who this Emily was. 

“That one’s not dog-eared!” He panics. He goes to snatch the journal away from me so I hold it against me firmly. He quickly gives up. 

“If you could only know that I never let you go,” I begin to read it outloud, so this guy does have a heart! “Wow Luke, I didn’t know you were such a romantic!” I say teasing him. 

“He’s not. That one’s actually about --” Alex comes up suddenly and starts to say but Luke cuts him off. 

“No one!” What is he hiding? He goes further and tells me “Uh, that’s just something that I tried, and… but if you go to the next dog-eared page, I got a tune that just… it’s got a killer beat!” Luke says, before going and picking up his guitar and playing a song that sounds familiar. Then it clicks to me, it’s a trevor wilson song. 

“So you wanna sample?” I ask him. 

“What do you mean sample?” 

“Sample someone else’s music… me and my mum used to sing that song at the top of our lungs in the car all the time! It’s a classic Trevor Wilson song.” I explain to them. 

“Nope, it’s a classic our song”, Luke says confused. 

“Pure Sunset Curve, not this Trevor guy!” Reggie adds. 

“Wait, didn’t you say that there were four members of Sunset Curve?” I ask them quickly realising what’s happening. Could Trevor be the fourth member of their band?

“Yeah! Us three and Bobby!” 

I got out my laptop to bring up a picture of Trevor, I showed it to the boys to see if they recognised him. 

“This is Trevor, His first album had a bunch of hits, but none of his latest stuff is as good”. I explain, the boys lean closer to the laptop. 

“That’s Bobby!” Luke says straight away. 

“Seriously, I just told you that his name is Trevor!” I tell them. 

“OK, great. Then… then he changed it, all right! That’s definitely Bobby! He was our rhythm guitarist”. Alex explains. 

“He looks so old…” Reggie says. 

“Julie, what were his other hits?” Luke asks me. I start to list his songs and it turns out Luke had written every single one of them. I can’t help but feel sorry for them to be mugged off like this by what they thought was supposed to be their friend. 

Luke starts to throw darts at the dart board pissed off, I can’t say I can blame him. 

“Where does he live?” Luke slams the darts down. 

“Above the beach in malibu”, I tell the guys, before I could say anything else, the boys had poofed out the room, what have I just done!

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, 
> 
> until next time!


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